


Looking Back

by Daggerz



Series: Riddles of Riley [2]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 13:35:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14853758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daggerz/pseuds/Daggerz
Summary: Linked with my main character in 'No Mother of Mine'.  This focuses on Rileys past, about 8 years before he went to St Louis to track down his father.How a young man finds his way in the world and who he is.  But will he embrace the power that lies before him, or run?





	Looking Back

Riley looked across the side of the room, discretely glancing at the Master of the City of Washington. His cheeks flushed bright red with heat as the vampire turned and smiled towards him. Attempting to smile back (thought it more resembled a grimace) briefly, Riley turned his attention to the woman sat next to him. A hand massaged his left leg and he just managed to supress a cringe and forced an awkward smile in her direction, avoiding eye contact. 

Mindlessly prodding his plate with his fork, confusion racked Riley, as well as need and desire for the vampire. His body wanted him but part of his mind would not let go of what he had expressly been taught growing up. It’s wrong. Taught he should settle down with a human woman and have a family, but that was the last thing that he really wanted. He knew he was in denial about it. But, he was different enough for his age; a 17-year-old lycanthrope with vampire blood coursing through his veins. He didn’t know his father, who was supposedly a vampire, and that was one of the last things he wanted. More often than not, his mind refused to accept the needs to his body, but the protest was weakening. He felt like he was going mad with no way to stop it. In theory he just needed to completely accept his attraction. But, theory was always much easier than practice. 

The Master of the City rose, eyes fixated on Riley. As he stood his appearance was revealed. He was lightly muscled everywhere, which was well in proportion for his height, only just over five and half feet. His complexion slightly tanned, predominantly due to Italian heritage. His brown hair was cropped closely to his head and he had piercing hazelnut eyes which rarely missed anything. The loose light grey shirt was tucked into sandy coloured chinos. His hunger stirred, both blood and lust, as he approached the young man. Riley had been in his territory almost a year; he wanted Riley the whole time. And, it was now time to take what he wanted. 

Sensing someone behind him, Riley jumped as he turned swiftly to look over his right shoulder. He practically choked on his drink as he saw Danny stood behind him.

“Riley, come walk with me,” he stated softly, knowing his seduction needed to be steady. The torment that he could sometimes see in Riley’s eyes ate at him as he knew that some was caused by himself. But it was time for a different type of persuasion.

“Er…of course,” Riley stuttered in a quiet response.

It wasn’t often they were alone. They often had one on one discussions, normally intellectual, but it was with others present or nearby. He stood, almost towering over Danny. After a growth spurt Riley stood almost six feet tall. He reached for his jacket, but Danny’s hand reached to stop him.

“You won’t have need of that.” Riley shrugged in reply and turned to follow the master vampire, keeping a few paces behind. Riley found he was being led to the garden. He stifled a yawn; after a day studying he was rather tired. They stopped in a secluded patio area, with no one near.

“How are your scars?” Riley thought it an odd question to break the thickening tension that was stretching between them.

“They seems just as…prominent, but no as red,” Riley answered quietly. Automatically he reached behind him to trace one of the large, jagged scars down his back.  
“Can I check them?” Danny posed the question gently, but it was clear what answer he expected. Riley was reluctant. He found that every time someone touched them he would get flashbacks of how he got the wounds he would never be able to heal. Danny ran his hand down Riley’s clothed back lightly. Riley shivered and a breath caught in his throat, but not from any cold.

“Look but not touch,” he responded, sounding almost strangulated. He cringed at giving permission as he lifted his black t-shirt over his shoulders.

Danny stepped back slightly, in awe of Riley bathed in the light of the moon. The light showed the highlights of brown in the near black hair. His hair fell half way down his neck and shorter at the fringe. But the eye was always drawn to his impressive eyes; glacier blue set in a well-defined, masculine face. He was also lean, only just beginning to build substantial muscle. Also, there was the outline of a tattoo on his upper arm. The only thing which ruined his appearance was the three knotted, jagged scars running diagonally down his back. In the moon light his scars seemed to shine.

“Stunning,” he muttered under his breath. He knew his comment was heard and saw a wince at the compliment. Riley knew what coming. He felt the coarse fingers caress against his scars before he could move. He felt like a deer in headlights but managed to breathe. The flashbacks he expected never came. Danny felt the young man’s body relax a little. He grinned in triumph. He knew the mental torture Riley often endured by a simple touch in the wrong place. 

“You are right, they seem less…” he paused, searching for the best word, “angry. Just like you. But you know, if you need to talk about anything I will listen.” Danny traced all three scars, waiting for a response which never came. “I know you’re struggling. We all do at first. Society says it is unnatural. But for some of us, it is natural. It takes time to fully accept it, but it will not go away. It becomes a part of you,” he stopped for a moment, “when you are ready, come to me. Even if it is just to discuss what the attraction to men means, it is important.” Suddenly he pulled back and Riley turned in surprise. “You aren’t the boy who came here a year ago as a wreck. You’ve recovered and you are strong. You just need to realise it. Live for you, not for anyone else.”  
Danny turned and walked back towards the mansion abruptly. Riley was so shocked he was frozen to the spot for several moments. He was touched by what Danny had said. Normally he was not the sort of man to say such things. He was known for being fair, but also strong and stubborn. Riley shook his head and decided he needed to attend the party again. Quickly he put is t-shirt on and strolled back inside.

Considering Danny's words he thought that maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult, people were people. He did find it amusing that it was Danny being male, not a blood sucking fiend that caused him issue!


End file.
